The Racist Backlash Against Marie Kondo of Netflix's 'Tidying Up'

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

It’s been a full five weeks since Tidying Up with Marie Kondo debuted on Netflix, yet folks can’t seem to stop airing their distaste for the 34-year-old organizing consultant. What is it about the queen of clean that makes people so consistently messy?

In her 2011 book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, Kondo writes: “Don’t focus on reducing, or on efficient storage methods, for that matter. Focus instead on choosing the things that inspire joy and on enjoying life according to your own standards.” The goal is to reach your own personal “click-point,” where you feel at ease with all you have. “For a shoe lover, it might be one hundred pairs of shoes, while a book lover might not need anything but books.”

Kondo’s KonMari Method draws inspiration from Shintoism, where cleaning is regarded as mental cultivation. Her book, which is both straightforward and humorously self-effacing, held a top spot for over 86 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and has sold more than two million copies worldwide. Her brand, KonMari, is now a booming business that even trains and deploys its own consultants.

The idea that we should maybe look at the sum total of our belongings and decide if we’re happy is not a controversial or even new idea. How many men have taken Tyler Durden’s “the things you own, end up owning you” or Jordan Peterson’s “clean your room” as gospel? Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus are the producers behind Netflix’s Minimalism, and at TEDxFargo Millburn gave an entire talk about rummaging around his apartment, “retaining only the things that added value to my life... as a minimalist, every possession serves a purpose or brings me joy, and everything else is out of the way.” Yet with the premiere of Kondo’s Netflix show, she’s become the subject of critical think pieces and sneering; when a white man articulates these ideas, people applaud.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/the-racist-backlash-against-marie-kondo-of-netflixs-tidying-up/ar-BBTk9fp?li=BBnbfcL

For Christ fucking sakes if you don't like something don't watch it. It's pretty easy.

[marlakay]

1. My daughter who was super messy

As a kid and has struggled in her adult life to keep house clean started watching this show.

She is 37 and for first time room by room she is getting clean, organized and giving things away she isn’t using, which is also big because she used to have too much of everything and boxes in storage and closets stuffed.

We do a joint text with my 90 yr old mom, me and my two late 30’s daughter’s and she sent us all pictures of what she has done so far.

Her house looks great I have seen all but boys rooms 13 & 11, they are like hurricane hit them always so day she figures that out she will have won! Lol

So too heck with the haters, she is helping!!

[DRoseDARs]

2. Hvn't seen the racist shit, but I dn't doubt it's out there. I'll stick with her treatment of books.

Going racist over her decluttering advice is just bizarre. Her position on books is troubling, but her being Japanese is a nonstarter for any point of criticism. The hell is wrong with people?

[ansible]

12. One racist tweet came from Barbara Ehrenreich

Pretty weird to come from her of all people

[DRoseDARs]

13. Like I said, knew stuff like that was out there. What a noxious thing to say...

Never heard of her, looked her up, and yeah it definitely strikes me as a very odd thing coming from her based on what I've read about her.

Fun fact: Her last name is German/Jewish. Not English. She should get a more English name. Makes as much sense.

[Leith]

15. Kondo is a Japanese surname

In fact, it comes from the samurai (warrior) class. I knew a Japanese family in Tokyo with that surname.

What got me was her given name - Marie? I just looked it up. Wikipedia has her name in kanji (Chinese characters). It's Japanese, too, and is pronounced "ma-ree-ay" (well, that's pretty close). That's not a common name, but oh well. I once knew a Japanese girl named Naomi. Her parents had heard of the name from an English source and liked it.

Good on her for finding a niche and doing well with it. It's not my thing so I watch and read other things.

[DRoseDARs]

16. In case I was unclear, Barbara's lastname is what I was referring to.

My first name is of Jewish origin (I'm not Jewish but that's irrelevant) and Rose comes from Clan Rose of Scotland (not to be confused with Clan Rose of Ireland) after the Norman invasion of the British Isles ("rose" itself derives from Norman language).

[Stargazer09]

3. She seems so sweet!

I love watching her enthusiasm and sincerity. She genuinely enjoys helping people.

The racist haters can f*ck off.

[Beaverhausen]

6. I agree. Her sweetness and gentleness alone bring calm to those she helps

I have used her methods and it makes a huge difference.

Having a home not cluttered with crap is wonderful. And don’t worry I still have a lot of “stuff” it’s just stuff the I love and brings me joy.

I hope Netflix does more episodes with her.

[madaboutharry]

4. I loved Marie Kondo's Netflix show and have found her methods really helpful.

I am now so proud of my closets and love the way my drawers look. Now I am onto books.

I think there is a lot of deep envy and jealousy. She has become fabulously wealthy and has built an empire. Some people resent that and actually besmirch success in others.

Here is a true story. Years ago, back in the 1980's, my father knew a man who won 9 million dollars in the lottery in California. They travelled in the same business circles. When my dad meet up with him after he had won the lottery, he congratulated him and told him how happy he was for him. (He knew this man had had a lot of sad stuff happen in his life.) Here is the kicker, he told my father that he was the only one who congratulated him. When I asked my dad why he thought that was he said some people just can't stand to see other people get lucky and rich.

I really don't know what to say about the racist stuff. I never understood that.

[Empowerer]

5. I love the book and her, but don't like the show

The fact that she doesn't speak English and everything has to be translated by a third person is very distracting to me. I don't know any way around it, but it makes the show hard for me to watch.

But I've practically memorized her book, adopted many of her techniques, and it made a real difference.

[hlthe2b]

17. I watched one episode and that was distracting too, but less the fact that at least 20% of episode

was wasted with the extended hugging/greetings between home-owner and both Kondo and interpreter. The first couple of times it was charming, but then it just got ridiculous. For me, the viewer, I could not fathom what help she was providing....

I suspect the book may provide more "structure" and thus motivation...

[Croney]

7. I love her. Somehow she has lessened my hoarding tendencies.

My linen closet was a mess, full of sheets I no longer had beds for, dingy curtains I "might need again some day," towels that "would be good for rags."

I got rid of everything that did not spark joy. Now I've started on stuffed animals "the grandkids might still be attached to."

It's so freeing!

[hlthe2b]

18. I hope you are offering the stuffed animals to the grandkids....

It has been so many decades, but I still remember the big box of classic vintage children's books my grandmother used to have and which all of the grandkids loved to spend time with. When she got rid of those, I'd have given anything to have even one--not to mention the value on ebay...LOL Obviously that wasn't something she likely would have realized, but those vintage books were really wonderful and largely out of print or the most $$$ of collectibles.

I know we shouldn't set up hoarding tendencies in our kids, but nostalgia and the comfort we get from it is not a bad thing in moderation...

Even a photo of some of those old items can fill the urge for the nostalgia, so that might be another consideration...

[Croney]

19. Thank you, that's a very good point.

Last edited Sat Feb 9, 2019, 12:55 PM - Edit history (1)

The grandkids are at my house frequently and I remind them that all the plush toys and Beanie Babies are soon going to better homes, and they don't care. I will keep some that I think they might want for their kids, but it won't be many.

I have a box of a hundred Little Golden Books my daughter collected years ago (not rare ones) and I checked eBay. I'd have to sell them as a lot for fifty bucks or less, and they might not even sell at all. So I'll keep the best 20 and donate the rest.

[smirkymonkey]

8. I haven't seen her show, but a friend recommended it to me.

I live in a studio, so I don't have the opportunity to collect a lot of stuff for lack of space, but I still have too much "stuff". Mostly clothes. I really want to get rid of things since I feel burdened by having too many things and would like to give it to homeless shelters. My building does a semi-annual collection, but I just couldn't get it together before. However, I am definitely going to watch Marie and gear up for the next drive.

I have a lot of nice things, some of which I have never even worn, but there is a good chance that I won't miss it. Someone else will make better use of it than I will. I am one of those people who likes to wear the same limited items over and over again.

[Croney]

20. She has a specific way of handling clothes.

I guarantee that by the time you've watched her method, you'll be inspired to let those clothes go! I haven't tackled mine yet but it's coming.

[Iggo]

9. Lemme guess. She ain't white.

[madaboutharry]

10. She is from Japan.

[uponit7771]

11. +1

[Garrett78]

14. I find the woo-woo stuff to be silly, but I think she's great.